Blissful Birdsong
by AllyBallyBee93
Summary: If Zoot's so useless with women, how did he get a girl like Janice?
1. Prologue

Prologue

The front door blasted open with a _bang_, shaking the house and squashing Bean Bunny into a pancake. The rabbit groaned and wearily slid to the ground as Zoot stomped in, too uncharacteristically angry to even notice. He was out of his usual attire, instead sporting a once smart set of matching dark blue jacket and trousers, a white shirt, a scarf and a flat cap covering his bald spot. However, muck, wine stains and a rip at his knee ruined the outfit. He marched upstairs, ignoring Dr. Teeth's distant begging and Pepe and Rizzo's protests as he knocked them out of the way.

"Zoot! Wait a minute, will ya?" Dr. Teeth called. "C'mon, just talk to me!"

Rizzo scoffed. "With him?! Yeah, good luck with that, Doc!" He and Pepe sniggered, only to be shoved out of the way again.

Teeth reached the band's room and stood at the threshold. Zoot had his back to him, muttering irritably as he collected a towel from the rail. The Good Doc sighed. A few days ago, he had decided it was high time Zoot got a girl before he got even balder and the sax man reluctantly agreed. However, each night was worse than the last.

"Look, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry? I just wanted to help you out, man!"

"Well I didn't ask for it, _Doc_!" Zoot snapped, stalking out of the room and deliberately bumping into his shoulder. Dr. Teeth stared after in shock. This was not most like him! He was never this rough! "Hey, hey! Get outta here penguins! I'm taking a shower! Out! OUT!" A band of penguins squawked in alarm as they flew out of the bathroom presumably kicked out. "You too!"

"WAH!" Sweetums cried, violently stumbling out wearing nothing but a towel round his waist. He gawked and did a double take. "Bu- Hey! I wasn't done in there!" However, door had slammed in his face and the lock clicked. "Huh! Touchy!" the monster huffed and stormed off to his headquarters, passing a bewildered Floyd who saw the whole scene unfold. After a beat, his lips formed into a snide smirk.

"So, take it that the lesson in the art of 'ladies' man' went swimmingly then! Hah, hah, hah!"

Dr. Teeth glared at him, rubbing the spot where the saxophonist collided with him. He approached the bassist. "It's not funny. Our sax man really missed his cool tonight, and paying dearly. I haven't seen him this mad since Woodstock!"

Floyd immediately stopped cackling, his eyebrows furrowing into a worried expression. Nothing was worse than what happened at Woodstock. "No raggin'? That bad, huh?"

Dr. Teeth nodded solemnly. "It was like he permanently lost his rhythm with the sax that he can't get back! His mellow charm non-existent. He…skipped the groove…on love!"

It was nonsense to anybody else, but Floyd understood what the jazz guru meant, sucking the air through his teeth. "Dude. That's not hip, man." He shook he head, shamefully. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Hey, dude. Y'know what I just realised?"

"What's that?"

"If he's so useless with women, how did he get a girl like Janice?"

* * *

Inside the bathroom, Zoot paused his undressing and pressed an ear to the door. Did Floyd just say what he thought he just said? He heard Dr. Teeth bark a laugh. "You askin' that after all these years? You're talking about your girl, man!""

"I know, I know! Look, I've known him since I was a little rocker; I ain't never seen him with any other girl! It's kind of a deep, dark mystery!"

"Didn't she ever tell you herself?"

They paused. "Uh, no. That would be too weird! '_Hey baby! Your ex is draggin' at dating lately! Tell me, what you see in him, again?"_

"Alright, you've made your point!"

"Mm mm! So, tell me, how'd he get all filthy like that?

"Well, my fellow man, I think it may have started with that female bodybuilder at Star's Place…"

Their footsteps drifted away, along with their voices. Zoot went away from the door and turned on the shower, kicking out some of Lew Zealand's fish and dropping them in the sink. He stripped and stepped in the cubicle, savouring the cool water spraying on his face. As he cleansed himself of the dirt and grim, his thoughts wandered back to the conversation he just eavesdropped on.

_If he's so useless with women, how did he get a girl like Janice?_

Zoot exhaled as he rinsed what was left of his hair. He remembered it many years ago, back when everything seemed possible and things were just beginning. He would never forget it.

It was probably one of the _only_ things he'd never forget.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A static, monotone voice interrupted his dreams. "Ladies and Gentleman, we are now arriving in Summerfield City. This our last stop and we sincerely hope you enjoyed your trip with Sunny Days Bus Coach. Thank you." Zoot blearily opened his eyes, squinting slightly at the sudden light. He looked around as his vision cleared, puzzled. Why was he on such a drag bus? Where is Summerfield? Why was he heading there? He rattled his brains, trying to remember. He knew there was a reason in there somewhere. Sunny Days. Summerfield City. A phone call.

Something clicked in his head. "Oh, yeah," he mumbled, reaching under his seat for his bag and sax case. Sunny Days was the lousy bus taking him to Summerfield, where his sister, Liza, and her family resided. She phoned him two weeks ago to inform him she had given birth to another child, a boy. He was visiting to see his new nephew. That was it.

The bus lazily pulled in at the station, the engine wheezing from the effort of pushing on for a few more metres. It halted with an unhealthy cough and the doors hissed opened. Slowly, the line of passengers began to descend. Zoot was the last off, grateful to be free from the lumpy, moth-eaten seats and thick dust. He thanked the wizened old driver quietly, who only glowered at him, as some unpleasant way of saying 'you're welcome.' The saxman stepped off, took a second to relish in the fresh air and headed to the station entrance. Liza had told him she would pick him up at the station, but she must have been running late. Realising how hungry he was, Zoot took a seat at the station café and ordered a sandwich.

As he ate in silence, he let his mind wander. He was looking forward to seeing his sister again. Out of him and his siblings, Liza was the only one who ended up with a normal and simple lifestyle. Well, maybe except for Joseph, his youngest brother, but at least she wasn't a square about it. Zoot hadn't seen her since his second cousin's Bar Mitzvah a few months ago. Everyone had been ecstatic to learn she was pregnant again, especially his mother. He grimaced a little, remembering her nagging him and his brothers for grandchildren. _Ha!_ No chance! Not on Charlie Parker's grave was that gonna happen! His other brother, Ben, was far too busy playing cowboy builder and Jo usually wet himself when he tried to talk to a girl. Zoot was her favourite target though, simply because he was the eldest and getting bald.

Everyone seemed to use that as an excuse for him. _You're getting bald, Zephyr. You should be doing this, you should be doing that_. Well, so what? Did it always mean the end is nigh or something? Ben had less hair than he did, yet no one seemed to care.

He was grateful his old friend Floyd didn't mind. 'Course he'd still make the odd comment or two, but at least he didn't expect Zoot to be a family man or something other stupid thing a guy should be doing when he got bald. Besides, he was more preoccupied with Animal's latest antics and trying to get some decent gigs.

He scowled a little at his glass of water. It was getting harder and harder to get a show these days, even ones on the most possible lowest payroll. All the good places thought their music stank. Then again, at least they gave them a chance to prove it. Others took one look at the trio and left them on the streets in a millisecond. They did get a few recently, but Animal was getting more out of control with his drumming lately, destroying everything in sight and attacking all the women. If he didn't know how to lay down a really good beat, Floyd might've left him in the woods where he found him. How did mom expect him to settle down with all that?

Zoot stared at the sky, chewing slowly and drifting off the planet. So they weren't as young as they used to be, but they knew that their dream'll be real one day. Their names in lights, sold out concerts, screaming fans calling their names…

Piles of sequels and laughter sent Zoot back to earth with a nasty bump, making him jump and choke on his sandwich. Coughing, he took a sip of water and stared daggers at the perpetrators on the table next to him. The gaggle of young women barely acknowledged him, still shrilling unattractively.

"C'mon do it again! Do it again!"

"But I've done it, like, ten times now!"

"Oh, just one more time, Jan-jan!"

"It was, like, sooo accurate!"

"Aw, rully?"

"Oh, fer sure!"

"Please, please, please, pleeeease!"

Zoot rolled his eyes as tore off another bite. Valley girls. Of course, what else? Back when they were in high school, Floyd loved 'em, like a mouth to a flame. Zoot couldn't stand them and today wasn't any different. He focused his attention to the salt and peppershakers, but he could still hear them begging this Jan-Jan girl to do whatever the heck it was. Finally, she gave in and cleared her throat. When she spoke again, it was deep, slow, smoky and somewhat mock sexy.

"Janice, _daaarling_! Could you be and _absolute dear _and fetch my purse!"

Zoot protected his ears just as the oncoming shrieking attacked his hearing. _Jeez, it like sitting next to a cage of parrots!_

"Ohmigosh, that is sooo your mother, Jan!"

"Like I totally said! Sooo accurate!"

"Do it again! Do it again!"

He glared at his half-eaten sandwich and threw it on the plate. He suddenly lost his appetite. He stood up and went to leave, but firm grip on his shoulder thought otherwise.

"Hey, where'd you think you're going punk?

Zoot raised his brows at the short, nasal voiced Whatnot waiter with bad skin complexion. "What?"

The waiter pointed an accusing finger at him. "Oh, no! Don't play dumb with me, pal!" he said. "I saw you, trying to run away without paying!"

For a moment, Zoot lost his voice. He completely forgot to ask for the check. Mentally kicking himself, he tried to come up with a composed reply. "Sorry, man," he said, reaching for his back pocket. "I just-"

"Oh, a hippy guy, are ya?" the waiter sneered. "Well look, _man! _I don't know what kinda crazy government protest you're trying to pull here, but I don't care! You pay like everyone else here, _capuche_?"

Zoot glanced away a little, seeing if neighbouring tables had noticed. Unfortunately, the Valley girls had fallen silent and stared intensely as he tried again to explain. "I'm sorry, I forgot. I'm meeting someone and I was just-"

"Oh, you forgot! Oh, that's original!" the waiter exclaimed, sarcastically. "That's one I've never heard before! You don't think I'm stupid! You don't think I encounter bums like you, always running off like that! You don't think I have to call the police at least once a week! They've started ignoring me because they never believe me! Say that lil' ol' Francis is doing it for attention!" He grinned, evilly. "Oh, but not today! Now that I've caught you, I'm gonna prove to them I'm tellin' the truth and you are not leaving my-"

"Will you just get me the check!" Zoot growled through gritted teeth. It was all he could do to stop himself from smacking the guy.

Amazingly, the waiter shrugged. "Okay" he said, casually. As he went to the counter, Zoot gaped at him, feeling a mixture of humiliation and disgust until something tugged at his sleeve. He looked up, surprised to see it was one of the valley girls. She was the same species as him, blonde, skinny with fair orange skin, and lips to rival Mick Jagger's. Her eyes weren't totally visible behind a mess of thick lashes and make-up, but her voice was apologetic.

"Hey, man. Like, I'm rully sorry you had to encounter that. That's a real bummer."

He didn't know what to say. "Uh…"

"Yeah, I tried that last week!" piped up a redhead human with ridiculous make-up. "Catches me every time! But the prices here are _soooo _ridiculous! Like, you have a better chance at the hotels!"

The brunette next to her gasped in shock. "Bethany! You should be doing things like that! That's like totally breaking the law!"

"But fifteen dollars for a soda? That should be against the law!"

"Does anyone have any gum?"

The troop began gossiping again, forgetting about the incident rather quickly. Zoot paid the waiter and gave them all a final glare before going outside. Thankfully, Liza was waiting for him in her car.

* * *

Liza was about six years younger than he was. She also had blue hair but it much longer and straighter. Her skin was usually a light purple colour, but it was now red from laughing at Zoot's story.

"It's not funny!" he barked, still sour from the event.

She stifled her giggles. "It's a kinda funny."

"If it weren't for those broads…"

"Language, Zeph!" Liza said, suddenly turning stern. "Remember, you're going to be around my children for a few days! Besides, that was technically your fault. If you paid more close attention…"

"Argh, whatever." Zoot rested his elbow on the car windowsill, watching the world wiz by. He calmed down a little just as Liza began some small talk.

"So last I heard from you, you had a performance somewhere in New York! How did that go?"

He made a face. "Uh, yeah, not really good."

"Animal?" she guessed

"That and we didn't have a place to stay after they threw us out."

"You mean you spent the night on the streets?!"

"Nah, 'course not. It was several nights."

"Zephyr! How can you live like that?!"

"Calm down, it was all okay in the end. We just did some buskin' and hitched a ride home. It paid the rent…"

His words trailed off, watching Liza's face glower. "I worry about you sometimes…"

Silence.

"So…uh…how is everyone?"

"Yeah, good," Liza replied, glad the subject had changed. "Andrew has the day off so he's taking over the kids for today." She smiled. "You should see your nephew! He's such a perfect angel! So beautiful and hardly cries at night. Lily adores him, always wanting to carry him all the time-"

"What'd you call 'im?"

"Sorry?"

"Now who's not paying attention?"

"Very funny. What did you say again?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. What's the little guy's name?" Liza didn't say anything, biting her lip. "Liza?"

"Daniel," she finally said. "We called him Daniel. Y'know, after Dad…"

The pause that followed was a lot more awkward as Zoot figured out what to say.

"Okay," he finally said, leaning back into his seat. Liza glimpsed his way, surprised.

"You don't mind?"

"No, not really. Why? Doesn't Mom like it?"

"Like it?! She _hates_ it! When she visited the hospital and saw the name on his crib, the nurses had to drag her out 'cause her ranting woke all the babies up. And don't get me started on Ben and Jo!"

Zoot looked up at the mention of their brothers' names. "They were there too?!"

"No. Jo arrived the next day and Ben just saw him last Monday. Ben took it about as well as Mom did and Jo kinda said, 'Oh' and was uncomfortable for the rest of the day." The car stopped at traffic lights and Liza turned to face him properly. Her expression was hard to read. "Look, Zeph, I know he wasn't World's Greatest Dad and I don't have good memories of him either, but I kinda felt like I had to, well, honour him in some way. He's still our dad and if it wasn't for him, we- I mean- well-"

She cut herself off with a sigh and cast her eyes away. Zoot rested his hand on hers on the gear stick.

"I know what you mean," he said, softly. "Sometimes I don't know what to feel about the old man either. But he's your kid, not mine, and if you want to honour Dad by giving him his name, then I won't judge you." Liza met his eyes and Zoot smiled at her. "Besides, Mom and Ben'll get over it. In about five years." She laughed lightly then squeezed his fingers.

"That's what I like about you most, Zeph. You're always so accepting."

Zoot shrugged. "I guess someone has to be."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The day after Zoot settled in Liza's residence, she invited him to go on a family picnic in the park. Zoot only agreed on the condition that he could bring his sax, much to his niece Lily's delight. But he wasn't so sure if he'd get a chance to play it, what with his in-law, Andrew, insisting he'd hold the baby.

"No not like that. Try and hold him like you would hold a football."

"Uh, this is how I would hold a football."

Andrew, an orange man with tussled brown hair, bit his lip, watching his brother-in-law hold his son by the armpits away from him like it was a time bomb. The child was beginning to squirm uncomfortably. He looked at Liza desperately.

"Help me out here, will you?"

She shook her head and took over.

"Here, I'll take him. Calm down, he'll know that you're upset. Now, hold your left arm out. No your other left, Zeph. That's it, now I'm going to put his head on your elbow…like this…annnnd your hand should be supporting his backside. Loosen up a bit. There you go! Keep your other hand on his head just in case."

After getting over the embarrassment of being talked down to by his younger sister, Zoot stared at the infant in both fear and wonderment. "He's so…uhhh…small."

It was true. Next to a normal sized human newborn, Daniel appeared positively premature, but he was healthy for his type. He had his mother's skin and a tuff of brown hair. Chubby, as was to be expected and still yet to open his eyes. He slept most of the time, so Zoot knew they were going to get along just fine.

"Mommy! I wanna hold the baby! Uncle Zoot gets to!" A green kid with strawberry blonde hair, Lily reached out with grabbing hands and pleading in her voice.

"Sweetie, you held Daniel yesterday and this morning. You can't have him all the time." Liza said.

"I know how to do it properly! Please!"

Zoot carefully leaned back on the tree base, taking in the summer scenery and the interactions between his family. He could hear a bee buzzing by his ear and smell the freshly cut grass. The day was beautiful, relaxed, calm…

_Kinda boring,_ he thought with a yawn.

The heat making him sleepy, Zoot drifted off, an empty bench about twenty feet away being the last thing he saw. It was perfect for playing the blues and earning a few pennies.

"Zeph!"

Zoot started awake. "Huh?"

Everyone else was suddenly standing, the basket packed and Daniel out of his arms and in his buggy. _Wait, when did that happen?_

Liza crossed her arms. "I said do you want to come on a walk with us?"

Zoot blinked. "Oh, er…" He glanced over at the bench. Walk meant exercise. Exercise was not his thing. And that bench looked so inviting…

"No thanks." He patted his case. "I think I'll go over there and play this for a while."

"Are you sure?"

Zoot stood up. "Yeah, I'm sure. I meet up with you later."

Liza gave him a slightly disapproving look, but she nodded. "Okay."

"Oo, can I hold the saxa-thingy?"

"Lily, I thought you wanted Daniel?"

"I changed my mind!"

"Come on, little miss! Let's give Uncle Zeph some space! It's not like he's here with anyone important or anything, like his family!"

"I like Zoot better!"

They disappeared from sight as the turned on the path, Lily still babbling excitedly. Zoot approached the bench and pushed himself up. A disadvantage of being short meant seating was a climbing challenge every day.

He tried pushing his sister's sarcastic comments out of his head as he replaced the reed, but it wasn't much use. He liked being alone, could he help that? It meant no chatty individuals wanting to talk to him all the time, wasting precious saxophone time. No noise and a chance to do whatever he liked. 'Course, zoning out was optional but that always made him look stupid. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with his family, he really did love them. There were just…too much, man. Still, it's not as bad as it was, long time ago…

Reed clicked into place, Zoot set down his hat in front of his dangling feet, allowing the bald part of his head to breathe. He set his fingers to the right keys and played the first few bars of an old Billie Holiday song called 'Time on my Hands'.

For some time, the music lifted him and he was lost from all time and space, not even aware of the change dropped into his hat by passing strangers. It was just him and his one true love, the sax.

Something made him twitch, causing him to blow an ugly _parp _instead of B-flat. He spluttered, horrified with himself, though wondering what the heck it was that distracted him. Zoot scanned the area. All he could see was clean cut grass, trees, people being happy, the sunshine and more stinkin' trees. The saxophonist scratched his head. Weird. He could've sworn…

The thing that scared him made itself almost clear. Behind him, he could hear several things move and a high-pitched noised that sounded like monkeys chattering. He turned sharply behind him, but the noise was gone and there was nothing but a tree. Zoot inspected it briefly, then shook his head and turned his back to it again. That was silly. Trees don't giggle-

"Like, hi there!"

He swore loudly, flinching back away from the redhead who seemed to pop out of nowhere, blinking at him from up close. "Sheesh, mister, do you, like, kiss your mom with that mouth?"

Zoot clutched his pounding heart, stammering uncontrollably in his spasm. "How'd you-where'd you-don't you-what the-wrong with-can't breathe-holy-"

The redhead looked a little annoyed "Whoa, like calm down. I just said hi! Seriously not cool!"

He somehow managed to chill himself out, though he turned a little pink. The screeches of laughter behind him didn't help much either.

"So anyway, like hi! I'm Bethany and, like, yeah, I'm totally sorry I scared you and all. It's just, y'know, Me and my friends were just walking around and we saw our other friend, Janice, sitting behind that tree there. We really surprised her and stuff, and she was totally digging your, erm, cello music, or something. And I remembered you from yesterday, when you nearly escaped from that total nerd. Really, I mean, he's soooo annoying! Like I'm going back there again! Hmph as if-"

The rest of her words merged into a long line of endless babble of stuffy nosed nonsense, making Zoot cross his eyes. It felt like days until Bethany's fingers snapped in his face.

"Hey, like, pay attention! I'm totally making you an offer, man!"

He shook his head, bewildered. "What offer?" he asked. The redhead huffed.

"Urgh, just, like, wait here, okay?" She stormed off behind the tree. There were noises of urgent whispers, a hush voice protesting and more obnoxious giggling. Taking the chance, Zoot picked up his case and instrument, slipped off the bench and tiptoed a few inches before breaking into a run. He didn't stopped until he almost collided with a skipping Lily.

"Uncle Zoot!" she cried, happily. "Where'd you go?"

Gasping for breath, he scouted over his shoulder nervously. "Um, busking. And...erm, exercise. Yeah, totally-Uh, I mean, yeah."

Lily paid no heed, reaching for the saxophone again. "Can I just hold it? I promise I'll be careful! Pleeeease?"

"Oh, uh, yeah sure."

He handed her the instrument, oblivious to the fact that it was too heavy for a child like her. She lost her balance and landed with an 'oof' on her backside. Still, she looked up at him, grinning from ear to ear. After a pause, Zoot grinned back and let out a genuine chuckle, forgetting about possible chasing valley girls. He knelt down to her level, helping her up. "Uh, maybe that a little too big for you. Should get you a smaller one." He took back his sax. "Yeah."

At this, Lily's face brightened. "Really?! I can have a sax of my own?!"

Zoot hesitated, clicking his case open. For a moment, he thought there was something missing, but pushed it aside. "Uh, ask you mother about that. Maybe for Purim or Hanukkah. Right."

* * *

It was only meant to be a few days, away from the guys to spend time with the family. Then he'd be back just in time for the gig Floyd had promised when he returned. However, fate had other ideas…

Or, more specifically, a broken alarm clock, a deep sleeper and a very lost bus ticket.

Andrew screeched to a halt by the bus station, with only minutes to spare. Zoot fumbled for his seat belt as Lily clapped happily next to him. "Again, again!"

"There's your bus!" Liza exclaimed, pointing at one where a small line of people ascended on quite quickly. "Hurry!"

Zoot stumbled through the door and slammed it shut, ready to sprint. He wheeled back and gratefully took his sax case from Liza in the front window. She kissed his cheek. "See you at Hanukah, Zephyr!"

Hasty goodbyes were made before Zoot reached the bus and handed his ticket to the surprised driver. He slumped on the first seat he saw, not caring it was lumpy. Exhausted, he fell into another deep slumber as the bus roared to live.

When he woke up with a disgruntled snort, the bus was pulling up in a different town. Not thinking straight and still half-asleep, Zoot grabbed his things, hopped off the bus and started walking, just as the first droplets of rain began to fall. He adjusted his coat at the fifth or fourth street he passed. But by that time, he was fully awake and realizing something wasn't right. He didn't recognise this street at all. Wasn't this supposed to be Turner Road? Where was the broken fire hydrant that was always on the corner?

The rain was pouring as Zoot did a double take on a sign outside a small church.

_St. Mary Catholic Church of Georgetown._

Georgetown?! He was in the wrong town! Zoot stood stiffly for a moment thinking about the possibilities and trying not to give into the rising panic inside him. Obviously, it would be stupid to go back. The bus would have already left by then. Maybe find a place to stay for the night? Yeah, that would work! He was sure the money from the park would-

He slapped his bare head, suddenly remembering what he left behind that day. Annoyed that he would lose such an obvious object, Zoot pulled out his wallet. Well, at least there was change for the pay phone. The only options now were to call Floyd, tell him where he was and probably hitch a ride back or find a place to sleep for the night. He hoped the booth wasn't too tight.

The rain was pounding by now. Zoot protected his head the best he could as he waited for the woman inside the booth to finish, bitter and longing for his beloved hat. After a long while, the rain died away and the sun peaked from behind the clouds. Just as the woman stepped out.

"Phew! Like, it's finally stopped raining! I hope my hair didn't get, like, too fizzy, fer sure!" She stopped, surprised to see Zoot standing there, shivering and utterly drenched. She gasped. "Oh! It's you!"


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

She was the same species as him, blonde, skinny with fair orange skin and lips to rival Mick Jagger's. Her eyes were hidden behind a mess of thick lashes and make-up.

Zoot titled his head, confused at her statement. "What?"

She looked to the ground and played with her hair. "Well, of course it's you! I mean, that would be totally stupid if it wasn't you, fer sure." She paused to cough nervously. "It's just, I remember you from that restaurant at the bus terminal-thing when that Francis dude was totally being a total downer and the park where you were busking-"

"What?!"

She glanced up and panicked when she saw him shocked. "Oh, no! Not like I was stalking you or anything!" she said, hurriedly. "I would totally never do that, y'know! I was just, like, walking in the park that you so happened to be playing your saxophone and my friends happened to be there too- I mean, no I was, sitting by the tree behind you…totally coincidently, I, like, swear, and you were just sitting with your folks-no-I-er…"

Her cheeks flushed in the uncomfortable silence that followed, matching the colour of her patterned trench coat.

Zoot frowned behind his shades in disinterest. "Whatever," he muttered, shaking his head and rudely turning his heel to the opposite direction.

"Oh, no, wait!" she cried, grabbing his arm. "I'm, like, rully sorry! I didn't mean to- Oh!" She gasped a little when she saw her palms wet from his sleeve.

"Yeah, it was raining," Zoot said, in dry sarcasm. "I don't know if you noticed."

"I'm rully, rully sorry!" she exclaimed, apologetically. "You're, like, sooo wet! I can't believe I could be sooo selfish! You must think I'm totally pathetic!" The blonde-haired woman sighed loudly and held her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, bummer! If I could only make it up to you! Y'know, kinda like Karma!"

Slowly, Zoot tried at another attempt of walking away while she distracted herself with her own constant verbal thoughts. He really didn't need any of this now, especially since…well, of something or other. He forgot.

He was barely two steps away when he was yanked back forcefully.

"Oh, my gosh! I know what I can do!" she said, now grinning. "Like, come with me! I have something to give you!"

"What?!" he sputtered, alarmed by her suddenly positive mood.

"Yeah! Oo, and while were, like, at it, don't worry about a place to stay! You can stay at mine if you want! I know you're totally not from around here, well otherwise I would've known, duh! It's cheaper than the hotel, fer sure!"

Zoot was feeling more and more intimidated by this person with every passing second. They just met and she was already pushing him to live with her. Literally. She was shoving him across the sidewalk to get him moving.

"No, you don't have to," he stammered, dragging his feet in an attempt to make her stop.

"Sure I do!" she replied, happily. "It's only, like, okay, y'know, temporary. Oh! I'm being sooo rude today, I never introduced myself!" she stopped pushing him and offered her hand. "My name is Janice! Fer sure!"

* * *

Zoot wasn't too thrilled by the idea of staying at this dizzy blonde's place, especially since she supposedly stalked him and had an oblivious pushy attitude. On the other hand, it meant a roof over his head until he figured out what he was doing outside the phone booth to begin with, so he decided not complain any further.

Janice dragged him about two blocks away, where the town was less dire and more sophisticated looking. He let her carry his bag, but kept the sax case, not trustworthy with her quite yet. She never stopped talking throughout the whole trip.

"And then she was like, 'But you're throwing your life, sweetie! Give Peter another chance! I hear he's after your hand.' And I'm like, 'Eww, no way! He's not getting my hand! I like need it for stuff! I don't need a blood-y stump!' Then she was all, 'It's not a professional career for a lady! At your age you should be settled down, not going to crazy, hippy, nudity parties!' So I was like, 'Look mother it's my life, okay? So if I wanna live on the beach and walk around naked-' Ah, here we are!"

Zoot said a silent _thank you_ to the heavens as she pulled him inside a yellow, seven-story building of apartments. As the rode the elevator, she turned to him.

"Oh, I didn't, like, catch your name!"

Zoot suppressed a snort. "I didn't throw it in the first place."

Janice look at him, confused. "I don't get it."

"Forget it. Just call me Zoot."

The doors opened with a ping. "Ooo, that sooo cool!" she smiled, leading the way to door 209 and fishing out her keys. "Are you, like, a professional musician or something? You sounded sooo good at the park the other day! I rully like Billie Holiday! She was such a groovy singer in her day, y'know?" She sighed, turning the key through the keyhole. "But the way you played that song…wow! It was almost like the Bird from those old records!"

Zoot looked at her, startled. "What did you say?!"

_Click!_

"Well, here we are! Home sweet home! Sorry about the mess. I only just moved in!" she said walking in and making her way to the kitchen. "Are you, like, hungry or anything? I'm not much of a cook but I can totally make a mean organic tomato soup. Oh. No tomatoes. Never mind! How about a fruit smoothie instead?"

Zoot wasn't listening, utterly in awe. The interior of the living room burst with colour, the opposite of the plain building exterior, complete with lava lamps, patterned furniture with tie-dye pillows and shelves holding records made from planks of wood and cement blocks. Posters of rock concerts and musicians plastered the walls, the smell of burning incense filling his nostrils. Despite the few boxes lying around, it was a perfectly good room. It even had a plant in the corner, right next to his hat sitting upside-down on the side table.

Surprised, Zoot picked it up. It was heavy from the many coins nesting in the crown. He must've played well that day. He glanced at Janice, who was now chatting absentmindedly about natural goods while a blender buzzed. So this is what she meant when she said she had something to give him. He could only guess how she acquired it.

He placed it back down, just as something caught the corner of his eyes. Sitting on a stand was a beautifully polished electric guitar. It wasn't anything spectacular, just very plain and white. He arched an eyebrow. Janice played too? Cool. If Floyd were here, he'd would have asked her out on the spot.

_Floyd? Man, is there something I'm-_

"Beautiful, isn't it," Janice said from behind him. "It was my first guitar. I have a few already but I like to keep this one. My daddy brought it for me when I was a rully small." She appeared at his side and fingered the head. "That was before he left."

He looked at her. She carried a smoothie in the other hand, her expression distant. "I practiced, like, every day since. After a while, I did a few small gigs and street performing, but I'd rully love to do some professional stuff. My mom and my friends don't understand why I want to. Erm, among other things." She paused, blushing, and then looked sad. "I hate that. It sometimes makes me feel like the music is my only friend. Y'know what I mean?"

Zoot didn't say anything, lightly touching the saxophone case strapped on his back with his fingertips. He understood exactly what she meant.

"Oh, listen to me!" she said, shaking her head. "I only just learned your name and I'm already giving you my life story! Rully!" She offered him the glass. "Thirsty?"

He accepted with a small smile. Perhaps the blonde wasn't so bad after all.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After breakfast the next morning, the rain returned, more unmerciful and wild than the previous day. Janice, dressed in a Japanese morning robe, peeked through the florescent curtains and frowned.

"Bummer," she said, disappointed. "I was hoping to do some shopping today!"

Zoot only hummed in response, polishing the neck of his saxophone with an old rag and watching a bit of TV. Or rather, he was listening to the audio as his eyes were more focused on the task at hand. From what he could hear, a strange character with an Eastern-European accent was counting to ten. Twice. The other end of the couch felt heavy as Janice sat down.

"Oh, well. So, did you sleep okay last night?" she asked, crossing a slender leg over the other. "I know the couch isn't, like, totally comfy." Zoot shrugged a little, briefly checking the inside of the bell.

"'S'okay," he replied. "I can sleep anywhere." He meant it. His experience as a down-on-his-luck musician taught him that anything could be a bed when the streets were the only 'hotels' to crash. Boxes, rocks, fish netting, dumpsters, you name it! He could sleep on it.

Satisfied that his sax was clean, he detached the parts and put them away in the case. He then turned to face Janice. "Hey, thanks for letting me stay here," he said. "I didn't have any money so-"

"Oh!" she said, surprised, but then waved her hand modestly. "Like, erm, think nothing of it!"

"No really, I mean it. I was going to-umm, do something and-"

"Really, it's nothing! I, like, totally bring homeless folks in all the time-"

"But, my hat-"

"Oh yeah, that! Well, you're totally welcome! I think…"

They were quiet for a while, with Zoot shifting uncomfortably and Janice looking away, her lips pursed. He noticed that the TV was still on, now showing an odd-looking frog with a star-pointed collar sitting neatly on a brick wall and explaining to the audience about the letter 'B', while a hairy monster slowly devoured it. He smirked.

"My niece is nuts about this show," he said. "She forced me to watch it with her every morning when I was staying at my sister's."

At this, Janice smiled. "Aww, how cute! Is she the little girl with the blonde hair? Isn't she, like, the sweetest thing ever?"

"Yeah. Weird little kid sometimes. The other day, she wanted to-" he stopped midsentence, realising what she just said. "Yeah, about that. What _were_ you doing at the park that day?"

Flustered, she replied, "I was just sitting by the tree, that's all rully. I like to go to parks on nice days sometimes, just to get away from it all! I was at Summerfield for a friend's wedding shower, but I wanted time on my own and then they found me listening to you and…Again, I'm like so, so sorry about my friends bothering you like that! Bethany can be a so annoying when she, like, wants to be!"

"You apologise too much," Zoot told her in a slightly amused tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I- Oh!" She covered her mouth and giggled at herself. "Like, never mind. Anyway, I think I've said enough about me to last, like, forever! What about you?"

Admittedly, he couldn't remember half the stuff she told him during dinner last night (she was quite that fast talker) but he didn't tell her that. Instead, he said, "Well, erm, okay. I've been playing the sax since I was about nine or ten. It's kinda the only thing I know what to do without feeling like an idiot, which is why I flunked out of school early with the rest of the Pepper Crew."

She looked at him quizzingly. "The Pepper Crew?"

"Yeah, that the name of the band I'm in."

"You're in a band?! Oh, that's so cool!" Janice exclaimed. "Tell me all about it!"

He spent the next few minutes describing Floyd and Animal and explaining how he met them when they were kids.

"Yeah, I think you'd like Floyd, though. He mostly plays bass but he's cool on the guitar too."

"Oh, wow! You make them sound so groovy!" Janice said, dreamily. "And I'd love to meet Animal! He sounds like a rull character!"

Zoot grimaced. "Um, yeah, no you don't. Trust me."

"Why's that?"

"Er, let me put it this way. When he sees a woman, he…" he hesitated, trying to think of the right and appropriate words. "…responds to his natural instincts."

"Huh?"

"He'll go nuts and attack you," he answered, more plainly.

For a moment, Janice didn't say anything. Zoot could see the wheels turning in her head, then click into place once she got it. "Oh, my…you mean…"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Eww! Gross!" She scrunched up her face in disgust. "That's, like, a total violation against Women's Rights, y'know! I mean, I'm no Candace Bergman, but still!"

Zoot wanted to point out that Animal was feral and never understood how society worked, but instead he said, "Mmm-hmm," and nothing more on the subject.

Janice then sighed and gazed across the room. "Still, I would totally love to be in a band. It gets kinda lonely when it's just you."

"Hmm, true, but we're struggling. Not a lot of people like us, not even the lowest places." Zoot huffed, irritably. "It doesn't help with Floyd's song writing skills."

"Huh? What's wrong with that?"

"He doesn't have any."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true!"

"It is. Even he knows that." He paused, and then his mind wandered.

"Zoot?"

He shook his head. "Sorry. I keep having these weird…um, things in my head."

"You mean like epiphanies?"

"Gesundeheit!"

"No, an epiphany! Y'know, like sudden realisation or something."

"Um, I don't really kn-"

However, just like that, a real epiphany stuck him.

"Hey, er, now that you mention the band and stuff, I've never really heard you play. Is it okay if-?"

Janice seemed to know where he was going with this. "You want us to jam together?"

"Er, yeah."

She squealed with joy and threw his arms around him, embracing him rather tightly. "I would be, like, soo honoured, Zootie! Oh, I better put some clothes on and get my guitar." She realised him and got up to switch the TV off. Zoot rubbed his neck where she nearly choked him. _Zootie?!_

Janice walked over to her room. When she was halfway there, she undid the rope around her waist and slid the garment off her body, letting it drop to the ground while not breaking her stride. Shocked, Zoot covered his eyes just in time. She defiantly wasn't kidding about being comfortable in her own skin.

As soon as the door shut, he reached for his case. He was done reattaching his saxophone when Janice returned, fully dressed (or as fully dressed as she could be) and carrying a different guitar from the one he saw yesterday. It looked smaller, the body shaped more rounded and organic, coloured pink with a black and silver outline.

"Cool," Zoot remarked, nodding to the instrument as she sat down, adjusting the straps.

"Thanks," she replied, and began to play the first few bars of a slow, jazzy number. "You know this one, right?"

He did, as a matter of fact. "Who doesn't?"

After the brief intro, Janice began to sing;

_No one to talk with_

_All by myself_

_No one to walk with_

_But I'm happy on the shelf_

_Ain't misbehavin'_

_I'm savin' my love for you_

Zoot joined in, playing a soft riff between the verses.

_I know for certain_

_The one I love_

_I'm through with flirtin'_

_It's just you I'm thinkin' of_

_Ain't misbehavin'_

_I'm savin' my love for you_

Throughout the morning, they played an assortment of jazz numbers and laidback R'n'B. Zoot was no longer surprised by how many of the songs she chose were his favourite. She really wasn't bad at all.

They didn't really finish, rather stop casually a few hours later. They were silent for a few moments, letting the atmosphere hang for a bit longer.

"Wow!" Janice said. "That was, like, totally, sooo fer sure."

Zoot, just as spaced out, smiled goofily. "Yeah."

"Y'know, maybe we can busk together tomorrow when the weather isn't such a bummer. I kinda need to pay my rent." She then leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Like, thanks so much, by the way! I'm sooo glad you asked."

Zoot was grateful that he didn't blush easily. "Thank _you_."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lunchtime in Main Street, Georgetown. It was crazy, no matter what day of the week. The food places wafted out enchanting smells of spices and cooked meat, calling to the smartly dressed and scruffy workers out for lunch. The sun blazed down with no mercy and the endless fumes of honking traffic just made it worse. Many families were out taking advantage of the weather, getting ice cream and generally making a din over the usual noises.

It was a miracle that any kind of music could be heard over the busy street but that's what Zoot trained himself to do. Play bold and loud with all your heart, so you may eat. Janice also seemed to know this principle too. They were out busking for the third time that week. She had told him that she had no job, so she used her talents and any crowded place to scrap everything she could. Which, considering his own lifestyle, was fair enough.

He placed the saxophone down beside him as Janice looked down and smiled with satisfaction. Zoot's hat was nearly half-full of coins, much more than yesterday.

"Oh, wow! We must've been rully good today, Zoot! If I'm lucky, it might be enough to pay the rest of my electric bill, y'know?" she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

He grunted, half in response and half in discomfort. His neck was acting up again, stiff and aching since this morning. He stretched and rubbed the sore spots like crazy, but nothing seemed to work.

Noticing this, Janice said, "Is your neck rully brothering you? You've been doing that, like, all day now."

"It's nothing," he replied. "Musta slept in a weird position last n- AH!"

Zoot cried out as two cold hands suddenly grabbed a hold of his head, stretching and turning it sharply both ways until unpleasant clicks were audible. In an instant, the pain was gone. Amazed, he turned to Janice, who was trying not to look smug.

"Where…?"

"Oh, an old trick an ex taught me," she said. "He was doing a major in medicine and told me about pressure points and stuff. It was sooo useful when I found out he was seeing Stacey Conner behind my back. Boy, did they have it coming, fer sure!" Her hands were still on him, her fingers stroking through his hair and tracing his collarbone just showing under his shirt. It left a trail of electric sparks beneath his skin.

"Um," he gulped. "My neck doesn't hurt anymore." She met his eyes, a devious smile playing on her lips. Zoot realised just how close she was. He could feel her minty breath against his lips and possibly count every one of her thick eyelashes.

"Does that mean you want me to stop?" Her voice dropped nearly to a soft purr as she leaned in, her arms sliding around his neck.

"Uh…"

A car honked loudly on the road, making them both jump. Nearby, a beaver stuck his head out of a window of a tacky convertible and shook his fist at a monster for jaywalking.

"Hey, watch it you blind hairball!" he shouted. "You wanna get killed or something!"

It was impressive stupidity from the beaver's side. Not only was he holding up the traffic, but the monster he was lashing out at was ten feet tall, with shaggy brown fur and menacing yellow eyes.

"Who are you callin' a blind hairball?! I was lookin' both ways 'till you came screeching outta nowhere, you bucktooth dingbat!" the monster retorted.

The beaver took the insult well. He jumped out of his car and marched straight up to the monster. "Dingbat?! _DINGBAT?! _Your face could turn Medusa to stone!"

The monster glared down at the tiny rodent. "_My face?! _Your face is a waste of fur!"

"Hey, that's a lotta hair! It must be some effort to get it all outta your _nostril_!"

The fight turned ugly quickly and an eager crowd gathered, most encouraging one or the other to win. Even some drivers stuck behind joined in and pitched their own insults.

"Oh, totally not cool!" Janice commented. "Why would the world welcome such bogus violence? Can't anyone in this stupid town settle thing peacefully? Rully! This is the third fight between a jaywalker and a driver this week! It's like a local sport or something."

His heart still pounding, Zoot felt something warm and soft beneath his hand. He looked down, discovering that it was Janice's knee and quickly removed it. Clearing his throat, he sifted out of her arms and picked up the saxophone. "So, uh, you know Honeysuckle Rose?"

"Hmm? Oh right!" Catching his drift, she re-positioned her guitar properly. "No, but hum I few bars and I can fake it."

* * *

Zoot lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling while resting the back of his head on his hands. He was alone in Janice's apartment. When they decided to call it quits a few hours ago, she had decided at the last minute to go shopping, but was kind enough to give him a spare key.

"I just need to get a few small necessities for tonight," she had said to him. "We can't have you looking like that, rully!"

Zoot had frowned at her. "What about tonight? Looking like what?" She chose not to answer either of those questions. She only walked away wearing that mischievous smile again. The same one before she almost…

He sighed and closed his eyes. He supposed it was a little obvious that she liked him, maybe a little unnaturally so. But why was beyond him. He wasn't exactly Humphrey Bogart or Burt Reynolds. In fact (as Floyd and Liza loved to remind him) he had the social skills of a skunk. Besides, he never really bothered. Relationships, according to Liza, needed understanding, devotion, compassion, all the stuff that a lot of his family weren't exactly good at, otherwise they'd all get along.

Then Janice, with her bubbly, dizzy and exhaustingly positive charisma, appeared out of nowhere and into his life. Everything she did radiated with warmth and essence. Unlike him, she was always cheerful, always vibrant. Not only that, but she loved the same kind of music he did. The right kind. Maybe she was even a little pretty. Maybe beautiful…gorgeous…

Maybe it could work. Even though he wasn't looking to begin with, maybe she was the one. They had at least a few things in common and maybe he could trust her with other things.

But at the same time, was that enough? Was he ready to confide with her like no other woman? And was there something else he was forgetting?

_WHUMP!_

Zoot jerked awake, almost falling off the coach. He didn't remember falling asleep, as usual.

"Whuzzat?" he mumbled. A flat box lay on the coffee table, tied together with a fancy ribbon.

Janice stood over him, flashing a toothy grin. She carried other similar boxes in her arms. "Like, y'know when I said that I needed to get stuff for tonight?"

Zoot rubbed the eyes under his sunglasses. "Yeah?"

"Well, let's just say you're gonna totally need this! I'll be in my room!"

As she disappeared, Zoot stared at the box, unsure of what to think. Hesitantly, he pulled at the ribbon slowly; acting like it was a time bomb. It unravelled itself effortlessly and he removed the lid. He took the contents out and held it up, his brows raised as he examined it.

"What…"

A few minutes later, Zoot stood in front of the cracked mirror that hung lopsided in the bathroom. He tightened his new yellow necktie with black dots, then shook his head and readjusted it to a more loose style. It still didn't work.

He heard a soft chuckle from the doorway. "Like, you don't know how to tie a tie? And here's me thinking every man could. Rully."

"I do." Zoot mumbled, undoing the tie and turning to Janice. "It's just that it's been a while since I've worn anything like this."

Liar. Despite his self-given name, he had never worn anything like this. A zoot suit, blue with white checks on the jacket and pants with a pair of polished black shoes. The shoulders where broad and sharp and the yellow shirt stood out against the blue.

Janice shook her head, took the tie from his hands, and re-tied it. "Here, I think you would look sooo much better with it a little loose, dontcha think?"

Zoot wouldn't know that, but as soon as he saw Janice, he no longer cared. Out of her normal clothes, Janice now wore a loose tunic-like dress with long bishop sleeves and patterned with pink, red and black flowers. A yellow rope tied around her middle and the skirt hung freely by her mid-thighs, showing off small effortless curves. She smelled of an exotic fruity perfume.

Done with the tie, Janice produced his hat and placed it on his head. "There!" she said, smiling at her handy work. "Now you look totally cool! Of course, not that you already don't, rully."

He suddenly wished he felt cool, maybe come up with some witty or flirty crack like it was nothing. But whatever he wanted to say was evaporated and what came out was a pathetic, "Yeah."

She didn't mind. Her fingers trailed the edge of the collar and travelled down his arm until they clasped around his hand. She beamed wickedly. "C'mon! Let's not waste the night away!"

Zoot was too confused to stop her from pulling him towards to door. "Ok. Where are we going again?"

Janice giggled. "I didn't say."


End file.
